Build muscle in the arms, back and core with just seven dumbbell exercises

Woman doing a renegade row exercise with dumbbells.

One of the most effective ways to build upper-body strength is by doing dumbbell exercises. 

These simple training tools allow you to execute a number of muscle-building moves, like bicep curls, weighted squats and shoulder presses. They are also useful for addressing muscle imbalances, as you can use the weights to isolate and strengthen weaker areas of the body—something you can't do with equipment like barbells or gym machines.